Calls to Tackle the Menace of Aggressive Dogs

The death of Jade Anderson has shocked the nation and bought the issue of aggressive dogs to the public’s attention once again. The fourteen year old girl was attacked by up to four hostile dogs inside a home in Atherton. The teenager was thought to be alone with dogs at the time – two of the dogs are thought to be bull mastiffs with the other two being Staffordshire bull terriers. It is suspected the dogs initially fought to grab the pie Jade was eating before attacking Jade herself.

Jade’s grieving family have called for tighter restrictions to be placed on owners of certain breeds of dogs. The family are concerned that the owners of the dogs that attacked Jade may not face prosecution as the attack happened on a private property. Many campaigners are calling for a change to the law so owners can still be charged even if the attacks happen on a private property. Some Mp’s have also joined the campaign and are now actively demanding a change to current laws.

It is believed that Jade Anderson is the 9th teenager killed by dogs in the last eight years with the average number of dog attacks currently standing at over 200,000 incidents per year. Whilst some breeds of dogs have already been banned, the current legislation does not extend to many other breeds which are thought to be equally dangerous. Many campaigners believe that banning breeds such Rottweilers and mastiffs will play a crucial role in reducing the number of vicious attacks on children. The dogs responsible for attacking Jade Andersen are not covered by the Dangerous Dogs Attack of 1991. Jade’s family have launched an e-petition to deal with the problem – if the petition receives a hundred thousand signatures, the issue will be debated by MP’s in parliament.

As personal injury solicitors, we have dealt with numerous cases of injuries sustained by the action of aggressive animals and lax owners. If you have suffered an injury from an animal, call us today on 0800 328 3823 and our solicitors will advise you as to the options open to you.